Blatz Old Heidelberg Pilsener Type Beer Cone Top Can

Blatz Old Heidelberg Cone Top

Produced by the Blatz Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Old Heidelberg Pilsener Type beer can represents a notable era of packaging for one of the city's heritage breweries. Following the transition away from its earlier Select Lager brand, Blatz marketed Old Heidelberg as a flagship brew, distributing it in cone top cans to serve growing market demand.

The label graphics showcase the distinctive Old Heidelberg branding paired with the prominent "Pilsener Type" text classification. The visual aesthetic emphasizes classic Germanic brewing traditions, incorporating historic Heidelberg castle imagery, ornate heraldic crest elements, and bold typography that highlights the Blatz name. Examples from this production era commonly feature side-panel statutory markings, such as "Internal Revenue Tax Paid" (IRTP) notices, patent credits, and state-specific alcohol regulatory declarations.

Within breweriana collecting circles, this can is known for appearing in different profile formats, primarily low-profile cone top styles alongside high-profile variants produced by container manufacturers like the Continental Can Company.

Collectors recognize several design and text variations across the Old Heidelberg cone top family. These differences include variations in wording—such as cans labeled "Pilsener Type" compared to those marked "Special Pilsener"—as well as slight shifts in text color, seam construction, and mandatory side-panel disclosures. As a centerpiece of Milwaukee's canned brewing heritage, it remains a favored example of mid-century graphic lithography.